In Gommatasara,
Jivakanda, we get a detailed classification of samsari jivas. This
classification is shown on next page.
Comparative
psychology points out that there have been various stages in the
development of animal life. The first simple animals, the protozoa, are
possessed of one sense. In fact, till we reach the insect species we find
that the chemical sense predominates. Positive, negative and food
reactions are mainly due to the chemical sense. As we go up the animal
scale, we find sensory discrimination in qualitative distinctions. Even
the other senses get discriminated and developed as we proceed in the
development of animal life. Similarly, the distinction between the jivas,
as parydpta and aparypta, has great psychological significance. Gomma
tasara thus illustrates the paryapta developed, "as the things like the
room, jars, and clothes are full or empty, so the jivas should be
understood to be complete or incomplete.1 Jiva becomes paryapta with the
absorption of Karmic matter for building up its body, sense, respiration
and manas. One sensed organisms become complete with the possession of
food, drink, body, sense and respiration. The possession of these
attributes maker the first four-sensed organisms paryapta or complete. For
five-sensed organisms all the six are necessary. In the absence of these
the Jivas are incomplete.[47] Comparative psychology has shown that
sensory discrimination has been a gradual process. Miss Washburn points
out that ability to distinguish between the different sensory experiences
depends on several factors, like the nature of the sense organs and the
ability to make varied reaction movements.[48] On the basis of these
investigations, three different classes of senses, like the chemical
sense, hearing and sight, have been mentioned. The chemical sense is
manifested in the combined senses of taste and touch. As sensory
discrimination becomes more complex. the mental life of the animal becomes
more developed and pronounced.
IV. These
characteristics of the soul are mentioned from the practical point of
view. Defilement of the soul takes place when the Karma pours into the
soul. This is called asrava. The soul then begins to experience mundane
and emotional experiences like the passions. The Karma which comes into
contact is retained. The soul is eternally infected with matter. Every
moment it is getting new matter. In the normal course of things, it has no
end. But the deliverance of the soul from the wheel of samsara is possible
by voluntary means. By the process of samvara the soul can stop the influx
of Karma; by nirjara it can eliminate the Karma already glued to the
soul. Then all
obstacles are
removed and the soul becomes pure and perfect, free from the wheel of
samsara. Being free, with its upward motion the jiva attains the
liberation or moksa. In the last lines of the Gommatasdra: Jlvakanda , it
is said that the liberated soul remains pure and free.
Pure and perfect
souls live in eternal bliss. But they do not lose their identity as the
Vedantin would emphasize. In the eighth Khanda of the Chandogyopanisad, it
is said that when a man departs his speech is merged in mind, his mind in
breath, his breath in fire, which in the highest being is sat. Now, that
which is the subtle essence has its self. It is the self, "and thou, Oh
Svetaketu, art that." In the eleventh Khanda also, we read that when the
body withers and dies and the living self leaves it, the living self dies
not.[49] Jacobi says that here we come nearer to the concept of the soul.
It differs from the Jaina concept in that the soul here does not possess a
permanent personality, for in mukzi the jiva is merged in Brahman and its
individuality is lost. For the Jaina, McTaggart's analogy of the 'college
of selves' would appear to be apter, although what type of spiritual unity
there is in Moksa, Jainism cannot say. McTaggart seeks of the unity of the
absolute as that of a society. All the selves are perfect, and "if an
opponent should remind me", he writes, ''of the notorious imperfections of
all the lives of all of us, I should point out that every self is in
reality eternal and that its true qualities are only seen in so far as it
is considered as eternal.~[50] Sub specie eternitatis it is progressing
towards perfection as yet unattained. The never-ceasing struggle of the
soul is an important tenet in Jainism. The universe is not, then, an
amusing pantomime of infallible marionettes, but a fight for perfection,
in which "something is eternally gained for the universe by the success".
The Jaina outlook is melioristic.
